3 April Easter

_____________________________________________________________

Dear Parent

Friday 3​rd​ April 2020

Thank you for engaging with us over the last two weeks, I know it is a very challenging time for us all but hope you have appreciated the support that all our teams across Willow Tree have offered to you. I hope you and your children are managing to watch my daily messages too and that these help in some small way.

I am immensely proud that our schools have remained open to children of Critical Workers, so that we can help them in the fight against Covid 19. All staff are on the rota and again this is very challenging for them, although we are trying to minimise risk, they are on the front line. Thank you to those who have shown your appreciation through your lovely messages of support, please keep them coming! We are carrying out risk assessments for all involved in order to protect our staff and children over the coming weeks.

Our Closure Plans have been fully implemented and have been a great success, they are in place for children to learn every day and to engage with their teacher. H ​ owever, over Easter the staff will be taking a well-earned break. ​Home Learning packs are available though and these will be sent out via class DoJo or Google Drive.

We are conscious of the impact of self-isolation on family health and caring for your son or

daughter’s mental health and well-being over these coming months will be really important.

With a greater emphasis on online learning and an inevitable increase in screen time, your routines will be important to structure your day. We can help you with this and have sent out timetables to help you. Social distancing measures are hard for small children to understand and I know we are all missing our cuddles from our children and grandchildren if they don’t live with us!

On the 30th March the Government issued guidance for parents and carers on supporting children's mental health and wellbeing and our Pastoral team has been working to ensure that staff have access to a range of support materials to help you and your children.

The guidance can be read in full at;

COVID-19: guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing

We are guided by the 5 Ways to Well-Being and hope your family will use these; following the Easter break we will; ● Connect We will connect with you again daily - please encourage your child to join in the daily learning activities. This will help you too. Please discourage overuse of xbox and unlimited use of social media - this is damaging to both physical and mental well-being. ● Be Active

We will continue to encourage this through our physical challenges, thanks Mr Jenkinson, Mrs Tyzack, Mr Tyas and Mr Purshouse. Please get some fresh air if you can - do activities in your garden such as treasure hunts - play games, dance and enjoy each others’ company. ● Keep Learning​ We will ensure learning is available to your child ​from the 20th April - ​if you can’t access through the internet we will make sure new packs come out to you every two weeks - please let us know. ● Take Notice Talk to people around you, help those who are struggling by sending letters and texts - notice Spring arriving and with it the weather conditions we need for this awful virus to be stamped out. ● Give Where you are fit and healthy, offer to help the elderly with shopping, ‘give’ in other ways within your family home such as Spring cleaning, decorating - but m ​ aintain social distancing​, stay home and keep safe.

We wish you and your family well over the Easter period and we will update you if we need to; please do the same through Class Dojo. It would be lovely for you all to take up the Easter Photography Challenge - this will form a montage in the future as a testament to the extraordinary efforts our staff at Willow Tree Academy have made for your children.

I am so proud of our teams and how everyone has tried so hard to do their best for your children and families, for doing such an amazing job! They really have been awesome and I know will be there for your children and family.

Jane Fearnley ​CEO/ Executive Head Teacher

Tony Trueman ​Chair of the Trust Board ​

Mandy Adams H ​ ead of School

Herringthorpe Junior School is part of Willow Tree Academy. Willow Tree Academy is an exempt charity regulated by the Secretary of State for Education. It is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (Company Number 09440025), whose registered office is at Herringthorpe Junior School, Chatterton Drive, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S65 2JW.